I like NoKillli’s plan, except so far as I know, you can’t apply early to more than one of HYP. That one, if you get in, will give you a more generous financial aid package than Cornell – and let’s face it, a choice of a possibly better institution – and should you still be stuck on Cornell, you may indeed be able to get them to match. Don’t forget about MIT, if you have the science chops to apply – the weather’s really not so great in Boston (which I guess we’re counting as a plus here?). Also you should look quickly (because deadlines are coming up and in some cases already have passed) at the fly-in programs for some of the smaller colleges, which include most of the best liberal arts colleges. These give you excellent chances for getting into the respective institutions: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54c6fd1be4b0f6cdd67c71db/t/5aff18b66d2a73441ec71c01/1526667446196/FY18_Fly-In+Program+Database_Updated+5%252F2018±+Fly-In+Opportunities.pdf . Also, you get a trip out there, no cost to you! Williams College, where my child goes, has a program called Windows on Williams which all but guarantees that participating students get in (and a legendary art curriculum to boot). What a fall-back option for you!